


Safety in the aftermath

by NorthernWriter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21749053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthernWriter/pseuds/NorthernWriter
Summary: Set during Avengers Age of Ultron, after Wanda gets inside the avengers' heads.See how Steve and Natasha find comfort in each other, even after their heads have been messed with. How does Steve feel when he overhears Natasha confiding in Bruce instead of him.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Laura Barton, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53





	Safety in the aftermath

Steve couldn’t help but take his frustration out on the pieces of wood in front of him. Tony always finds a way to get under his skin, he always knows the wrong things to say.  
Just because Steve isn’t showing his pain doesn’t mean he isn’t hurting. It doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have dark side.

As he looks up he sees Clint with his son. Steve couldn’t believe his eyes when Clint introduced his wife and children to the team but the thing that surprised Steve the most was the look on Natasha’s face when Clint’s daughter asked about her Auntie Nat. Steve could tell that the Maximoff girl did major damage to Natasha, he has never seen her so disorientated but when the young girl called for her auntie it was as if nothing had happened. 

For some reason thinking about Natasha in a domestic role brought a smile to Steve’s face. But it is as if the universe was playing games with him. As soon a Steve thinks happy thoughts and feels like he is getting over the games Wanda played, he is taken right back to the ballroom from his vision.

“Penny for your thoughts” Steve hears a familiar voice say, it was Natasha. “Laura told me that you and Tony got pretty heated, you want to talk about it?”

“No, I don’t” Steve replied honestly.

“Come on Steve, you know you can talk to me” 

“You know what, I did want to talk to you. You were the only person I wanted to talk to. But not just about me, about you. I wanted to make sure that you were ok, I can’t imagine what Wanda showed you. I even came to find you after I cooled off, I assumed that you wanted some time alone but instead I heard you talking with Banner” Steve explained.

When Natasha realised that Steve might have heard what they were talking about she began to panic. Even though she said it, she didn’t want Steve to know that she thought about leaving him and all the avengers.

“Steve, I didn’t go to him to talk. I wanted to get a shower to clear my head and bruce was there. Thats all” Natasha said, not sure why she was defending herself. 

“Yet you talked to him” he mumbled so quietly Natasha couldn’t hear him.

Steve wasn’t in the mood for talking so he decided to go back to chopping wood. Right now he wasn’t the best company and he didn’t want to burden Natasha even though he knew he could talk to and trust her. So, he decided to ignore her, hoping she would leave him alone and that is exactly what Natasha did.

As Natasha walked towards the farmhouse she locked eyes with Clint and shook her head, letting him know that Steve wasn’t doing good.

Natasha was about to walk into the house when Clint stopped her.

“You’re really going to leave him out there? Not that I mind, at this rate we will have enough logs to keep the fire burning for the next two years” Clint says whilst looking at Steve who is still chopping wood in half.

“What do you want me to do? He clearly doesn’t want to talk so I will wait until he does” Natasha admits.

“That’s not like you, normally you persist until they crack” Clint replies.

“Well, Steve isn’t like everyone else, he is different. We talk to each other, we trust each other, we don’t hide things from each other” Natasha says with disappointment in her tone.

“You say that you talk to each other but instead of talking to Steve, you confided in Banner. Perhaps he feels betrayed. Like you chose bruce over him” Clint says, hoping that Natasha will see things from Steve’s point of view.

“That’s it, that is why he is closing himself off, shutting me out. Why didn’t I think of that, my head must still be all over the place” Natasha says as she heads back towards Steve.

“I said Im not up for talking” Steve mumbles as he continues chopping wood but Natasha hears him.

“I’m not asking you to talk, just listen. I understand why your mad” Natasha responds, slightly distracted by Steve and the axe.

“I’m not mad” Steve cuts her off.

“I said listen” Natasha states.

Steve gives up and takes a seat on the tree trunk, giving his full attention to Natasha. Not knowing that doing so allows Natasha to concentrate as well.

“You’re disappointed that I spoke to bruce about what Wanda showed me. The thing is Steve, you see me as a good person and Wanda made me see all the reasons why I am a bad person.” Natasha hesitates not sure if she wants to tell Steve everything.

“Nat, look at me” Steve pleas.  
“You don’t have to hide anything from me. I know who you were and nothing will change the way I see you now”

What Steve says comforts Natasha. He makes her feel a certain way, a way that nobody else does, not even Clint.

“Wanda took me back to the red room. I saw my past, my upbringing” Natasha said as she continued to describe every aspect of her vision.

“Natasha, what she showed you was your past. Focus on right now, who you are in the present. I don’t see you, nor will I ever see you as a bad person. You are my partner and one of the most important people in my life. I’m sorry to hear what they put you through, taking away the possibility of having a family is unspeakable” Steve says, and without trying his words make Natasha feel safe.

“Thank you Steve. You really are too good of a man. Now, what did Wanda show you?” Natasha asks.

“I saw my past too. But a past that never happened, if that makes sense. It was one big ‘what if’, what could have happened if I hadn’t had gone into the ice. There was a party to celebrate the end of the war, it was full of soldiers but the worst part was that Peggy was there. She told me that we could go home, she asked for our dance” Steve admitted, Natasha could hear the pain in his voice.

Steve told Natasha about Peggy when they were on the run from Hydra, after they saw a picture of Peggy at the army base.

“That must of hurt. Seeing how your life could have turned out, having your happily ever after dangled right in front of you”.

“It did, but it made me realise that I am not the same person I was back then. I like my life the way it is, right here, right now. But, while we’re being honest, I will admit seeing you and Bruce together hurt me as well. The vision reminded me that I lost Peggy and then you confided in bruce, I feel like I am losing you as well” Steve confesses.

Natasha pulls Steve into a hug as a way to reassure him but she finds herself feeling saver than ever as he embraces her. They stay like that for a few moments, forgetting what Wanda showed them. As they stand there, the the world around disappears, for the time being it is just the two of them.

Without Steve and Natasha noticing Clint watches them both surprised at what he is seeing but he stops staring when he feels Laura wraps her arms around his chest from behind. 

“I told you nothing was going on between Nat and banner” Clint says smugly.

“So sleeping arrangement still won’t be an issue. Do you know what is going on between them” Laura asks.

“No but Steve is good for her Laura. These past few years he has been by her side, always there for her and she him. I haven’t seen her this happy. Ever.” Clint continues.

They both watch the pair who are are still standing in each others embrace until Steve pulls away.

“Let’s go inside, I’m pretty sure I’ve chopped enough wood” Steve states.

“I wish I could stay in this moment, I can’t deal with everyone else right now” Natasha admits, leaning her head on Steve’s chest.

“We can have as many of these moments as you want, all you have to do is ask” Steve replies with a smirk on his face.

“I’ll bear that in mind Steve, now let’s go inside. We will need to do a debrief and everyone will be wondering where we are” Natasha says.

The pair turn towards the house, both with smiles on their face. As they do so they notice Clint and Laura watching them.

“How long do you reckon they have been watching us?” Steve asks.

“It doesn’t matter” Natasha replies.

As they approach the steps Laura brings up the sleeping arrangements.

“I’m happy that you’re all safe but we do have limited sleeping options” Laura begins to say.

“Thank you for taking us in Laura. I would hate to be difficult so I will happily take the couch” Steve cuts in.

“You don't have to…I was thinking…maybe you and Nat could…” once again Laura begins to talk but Natasha interrupts her.

“Share? What do you say Steve, fancy a sleepover” Natasha asks, looking at Steve.

“Since you asked so nicely” Steve replies with a smile on his face. 

“Me and Natasha will happily share a room” Steve says as he turns to Laura.

Clint begins to say something but Natasha cuts him off.

“Don’t start” she says.

Realising he won’t get anything from Natasha, Clint turns to Steve.

“Don’t worry Clint, I won’t hurt her, ever.” Steve says before Clint could open his mouth.


End file.
